It is known to sterilize articles with a vaporized chemical sterilant, such as hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid and glutaraldehyde. Wu et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,365,102, incorporated herein by reference, describes a hydrogen peroxide/gas plasma sterilization system comprising a vacuum chamber, source of hydrogen peroxide vapor and a source of RF energy to create a plasma. Such systems marketed under the name STERRAD® are available from Advanced Sterilization Products division of Ethicon, Inc. in Irvine, Calif.
Getting the vapor into contact with the items to be sterilized is a concern. Typically, the low pressures (0.5 torr to 10.0 torr) inside of the chamber promotes quick diffusion of the sterilant vapor to all areas therein. However, improving the flow into the container can benefit the sterilization efficiency. Applicants have achieved this goal in a fashion which may be employed with most of the commercially available containers in a novel approach to employing parts of the sterilization cycle already present to flow some of the sterilant vapor through the container.